Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Repost: Rays Last Spring Game in St. Petersburg

Update:This blog was originally written on March 28, 2008to celebrate and commemorate the last home game of the Tampa Bay Rays at their Spring Training home for the last 11 years. This day marked the last time the Rays would play as a team at the site, and would move to the new sparkling complex in Port Charlotte in 2009. The writing style and the photos are also a sign of the changes made in the last year to my blog and the way I convey my blogs to you. So I hope you enjoy this “Blast of the past” that is a special part of the Rays history.

..

I am filled with both sadness and excitement on this perfect day for baseball. I am about to see the end of an era in my hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. The local baseball faithful here in St. Pete., have been actively watching and participating in M L B Spring Training games for over 80 odd years. And it all comes to an end today. Our hometown team, the Tampa Bay Rays, will be training at the Charlotte Sports Complex in Port Charlotte, Florida starting next season.

It is sad because my grandfather,who lived within a stones throw of former Yankees’ training site, Huggins-Stengel Field, and spent many a day at the old Busch complex off 62nd Ave. He spent many an afternoon near Cresent Lake watching Spring Training games both there and at Waterfront Park. That my dad, who loved the game of baseball, and counted a few MLB players as friends could not say a fond farewell to this stadium that he saw built and watched hundreds of games there from 1947-1976.

Being a third generation baseball fan is a huge responsibility to me. It involves my commitment, loyalty and a sense of knowing the sky will not fall for my team. The ending of the era at Al F. Lang Field/Progress Energy Park/Waterfront Park is special to me.

Special because I spent a lot of my youth here in the Spring and Summers. Both watching MLB and Minor League teams leave it all out on the dirt and grass. Watching the St. Petersburg Devilrays win a championship, and the hometown M L B squad wrestle for wins. Special because my old job with Pepsi Cola had me at the Training complex and at Al Lang almost every day in the Spring furnishing them with product and watching some of these players’ develop into stars. I would be on the phone daily getting orders and securing the items for the team and its clubhouses, both at the Ray Namoli Spring Training complex, Progress Energy Field/Al Lang Field, or Tropicana Field, just a few miles to the west of the stadium.

I have pushed,pulled and sweated in these clubhouses’, underthe grandstands, and in the dark recesses of Tropicana Field. I lovedworking with the Rays’ and I consider them very special people in mylife. They have bestowed on me a place in their Wall of Fame for myloyalty, and I have received numerous phone calls and smiles from theExecutive and Front Office staff when we see each other outside of thestadium. I also hold dear a million memories that would fill a Myspaceserver. From winning players “Jersey’s off their backs”, to winningroundtrip airfare to Seattle for a 4 game roadtrip.

But back to today’s final game. It had all the fanfare and tradition of an Opening Day. You had the local political forces out. Both teams’ starting players were announced and stood on their respective foul line before a barbershop quartet sang the National Anthem. It was pomp and circumstance at it’s best.

There was a special flyover by a Air Force KC-135 tanker unit that had the sell out crowd on their feet applauding the sight.

An anticipated event that did not happen today is that Hall of Famer, Monte Irvin was not able to attend the game. He is a proud supporter of the Rays’ , the fans missed a rare opportunity to talk and get autographs from this great former player. I send personal best wishes and hope for a speedy recovery to Monte, and hope to see him at the Home Opener this year. Another item I picked up on the sly was the fact that there were no special collectibles or items listing the “last game” on them for sale in the entire stadium. I thought the Rays’ missed a monetary gold mine here. But was informed that the Rays’ wanted to pursue this angle, but M L B vetoed the idea. They might be afraid of a future conflict if a team ever trained here again. I can see their point, but this stadium might be gone by that time.

You see, the Rays’ had a spot out in Right Center that was the spot for the new proposed stadium’s home plate. The Rays hope that the city’s faithful voters decide in a November referendum to change the zoning for the area, or sell the stadium land to the county for future ballpark considerations. Most of this is up in the air right now, but the Rays’ new complex is already being constructed, and there is no turning back at this time.

The game featured the third sellout game( 6,759 attended) of the season for the Rays’, and even had some odd places for fans, and creatures to watch the last contest.

They were treated to a great contest featuring three bunts for singles, a ground rule double over the Left Center field wall. A long towering homer, and a odd play in Right Center by B J Upton and Eric Hinske. It saw Rays catcher Dioner Navarro go 2-for3 with a perfect bunt single and a crushing hit to Left field. It saw Carl Crawford hit two doubles, and Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips hit a triple. It was great contest no matter what the score. Of course, we know that the Rays did not win today, but it was a thrill just to be there on this historic day.

After the game, the Rays treated the fans to a hot dog,chips and soda extravaganza in the Right field corner of the field. It was a time for the kids to “run the bases”, for the all fans to toss a few balls around like the pros’, and a time for all to celebrate this Spring’s great record and team. It is also a time to recharge the batteries for the upcoming season. It was a great event, and one that should be a yearly event, even in Port Charlotte next year.

I can not end this blog without a few pictures of Carlos Pena. My other half is a true Carlos mark and she should get some good pictures of her guy in action. So, here are a few for your enjoyment:

In honor of the last game at Al Lang today, I am going to leave you two Trivia questions. Please fell free to answer them in comments and I will let you know if you are right, or might offer a few hints. Good Luck1,) In 1947, who hit the first Home Run in newly constructed Al F. Lang Field?2.) Who made the last out in today’s game?

17 Comments

The Rays game was rained out in Fort Lauderdale yesterday, so I decided to revisit the closing/last contest at Progress Energy last season.
It marked the end of the only team to have their regular season and Spring Training games being played in the same city.

I hope more people enjoy it………….You can definitely see a change in the writing style.

They have owned Tampa since the Cincinnati Reds left Al Lopez Field a long time ago. Personally, they can have Tampa, the Rays picked the best part of the bay area for their stadium, and future stadium sites.

It seems like so many teams are getting new Spring Training complexes either next year, or in the near future. It’ll be sad to see these places that we have been to go. I wish I had gone to Port Charlotte to see the Sox play the Rays. Unfortunately, I was/am grounded but I am still allowed to see baseball games!
-Elizabethhttp://redsoxgirl46.mlblogs.com

What will they be doing with Al Lang Field now that it’s not used for ST or a minor league team? Last I’d heard there was a lot of opposition to building a new stadium on that site. Has that been resolved yet? Al Lang was such a great place to see ST games, with the marina and bay visible beyond left field.
SueRants, Raves, and Random Thoughts

It’s too bad that Al F. Lang field is probably going to be torn down. It has such a rich baseball history and so many great players have taken the field there. I see that David Price was really sharp against the Yankees today, if that cheers you up :) And although Upton is going to miss the season opener, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be out that long, so that’s good news, too!-Erinhttp://plunking-gomez.mlblogs.com

Hey Renegade…both Howell and Longoria got to play tonight. Good to finally see two of the Rays in action! It’s the first time this year for me to be able to watch them.
Canuckhttp://watercooler.mlblogs.com

Elizabeth,
The good thing is that they will be there for a long time, so some day you will get a chance to see them play in Port Charlotte.
And you are right, the teams have been changing their locations for years throughout both Arizona and Florida to newer complexes and better financial packages. But unfortunately, as long as their is Spring Training baseball, there will be change………which is fine by me.

Actually, the Rays have the rights to use Al Lang/Progress Energy until the end of this Spring Training exclusively. I do not think you will see the old Al Lang becoming a site for the new stadium.
I have heard a few whispers that they are now considering maybe renovating the old stadium, or maybe even building on the current site, like in the massive parking area just east of the current stadium.
There is a committee in charge of voicing such measures, and they are to relay some of the finding and recommendations sometime later in the spring.

I alwasy thought it might make a great outdoor theatre area for plays and small concerts instead of Straub Park on the other end of the waterfront park system. I mean, small intimate setting without the outfield fences where the breeze and the water act as a beautiful backdrop.
The American Stage Company in St Petersburg builds a set every year on Demens Landing for their yearly outdoor series in May.
The old stadium site would give them a more secure site, along with 5,000 fixed seats for guests to choose from for performances.

Actually, all three played tonight.
And J P Howell actually picked against Akinora Iwamura later in the game and did a fine job on Aki.
Longoria actually took some mean cuts on the ball, but did not get contact in the game. But that one inning doomed the US effort.
So I am again rooting for Japan to pull it out tonight.

I live in one of those towns that has a great bit of memories to it. People forget that St. Petersburg, Florida was the sight of the first commercial airline flight from St. Petersburg to Tampa.
The postmaster of St. Petersburg paid Peter Jannus to fly him across the bay. There is wild history everywhere if you search for it.

That’s true Aki was playing. Guess I should’ve included him too! My mistake. Too bad for Evan, at least he got a chance. Now it’ll be interesting to watch tonight.
There are some pretty cool stories that come out of that area of Florida. It’s nice to hear them!
Canuckhttp://watercooler.mlblogs.com

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.